


Sarcastic Truths (Sterek)

by taehoech



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:42:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29669523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taehoech/pseuds/taehoech
Summary: Stiles knew Derek was a stubborn werewolf, or in his own words a sourwolf, the moment he and Scott ran into him looking for answers.  Neither of them liked him much but they knew he was someone they could somehow trust.Facing all of their enemies with the closed-off werewolf, they all become closer-a pack. With one final fight, they watched as Derek took his final breaths as a werewolf...but only before he evolved into a full wolf.With his newfound shape, Derek set out to Mexico to help with hunters he'd never thought he'd be helping. If only Stiles knew how much he'd really be missing the sourwolf. Once back in Beacon Hills, Derek helped take down many of the crazed citizens trying to hunt down the supernatural.Two years after the tiring fight, Scott recruited a new beta named Alec. Derek, Stiles, and the rest of Scott's pack set out to find people who were willing to help them in their fight to take down Monroe and her followers.How does Stiles go about his long-lasting feelings for the werewolf when he sees the real Derek Hale?
Relationships: Allison Argent/Lydia Martin, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Isaac Lahey/Scott McCall, Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken, Malia Tate/Kira Yukimura
Kudos: 17





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is another work I brought over from my wattpad (-taelicious-).

Beacon Hills.

Derek hadn't been in his hometown for so long. He grew up here. Everything that was significant in his life took place here. Maybe it was just due to luck or maybe it was due to the teenagers he had gotten involved with years ago because his psychotic uncle decided to bite one.

But he knew he could finally feel something for once. He had certain feelings toward specific people. But they were mostly good things. And it had been a while since he felt anything like that.

He sighed in content as he passed by the familiar buildings in his black Camaro. Well, he couldn't say it was necessarily his. He stole it when questioning hunters under Gerard about slaughtering packs of werewolves—but why does it matter if they deserved to have a car stolen?

Soon, he made it to the place he didn't think of coming back to. He did anyway, however. Only because the one and only Scott McCall was in danger and the only one who could save supernatural beings from being murdered would be him.

More so, he missed his home. It was nice being away for a while but he knew he could never truly leave Beacon Hills. Even if Peter was his only relative in the town, he knew where his family was. And that was in Beacon Hills.

The elevator brought Derek up to the main floor. He dropped his black bag on the floor next to the entrance and took a big inhale of air. Smells coming from people he cared about and his loft overwhelmed him. It made him feel a sense of relief, though.

He took notice to how empty it seemed. When he left, he cleaned most of it out. He figured he'd get new furniture and some other things the next day to freshen the place up a bit, even if he didn't like too much color, and then head out to meet with the pack. Knowing he'd have to get a little more comfortable with people he never met, he headed up to his room where he knew his bed still was.

Simply taking his shoes and leather jacket off, he slipped into the bed and let his head fall back against the pillow. Another sigh and he was out for the night.


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now living within their shared apartment as promised, Scott and Stiles end up inviting a familiar blond into their home to catch up.

Though Stiles missed the lovely views in Quantico, he didn't miss the huge amounts of work that came along with the FBI program. He was lying in his bed, arms crossed behind his head as he thought about what had happened within the last five years of his life.

He's sure they've seen about everything and anything to do with werewolves—the supernatural in general. They've seen werewolves, chimeras, banshees, wendigos, kitsunes, kanimas, ghost riders, hellhounds, and many other things. Even if those weren't a lot to many, he knew they've come across more than most people. 

Stiles heard the door to his and Scott's shared apartment open. He could tell his best friend was home and slung his legs over the edge of his bed. Walking out into the main area, he saw Scott shrugging his jacket off of his shoulders.

His brown eyed friend glanced up at his presence and offered him a soft smile. "Hey, Stiles."

Stiles grinned back at him as he entered their average-sized kitchen. "How did the training go?"

"Alec is very agile and quiet. He'll be really good at sneaking things when we need it," Scott huffed amusedly. "He was a great pick."

"That's good!" Stiles agreed after opening the fridge. He pulled a can of his favorite pop out of it before closing it. He nodded his head toward their gaming setup in the living room. "You busy?"

Putting on his gaming face, Scott moved to grab a controller. "I'm gonna kick your ass!"

Stiles gasped dramatically and put his hand over his chest. "You wouldn't!" He shoved Scott over as he sat on the couch before grabbing a controller for himself. He turned their Xbox on as well as the tv and waited for the console to start up. 

"So what are we playing?"

"I'm thinking good ole Black Ops zombies," Scott suggested. 

Stiles cocked a brow. "I thought you were gonna kick my ass."

"I will—with my points." Scott gave him a cocky grin and sat back as they opened the game.

"Get ready to make a fool of yourself, Scotty," Stiles teased. 

~•~

Hours later, the two found themselves on their hundredth attempt to make it past round sixteen. They were arguing over whose fault it was that the two died and they were both extremely heated.

"Stiles! Why didn't you come to get me?" Scott seethed, setting his controller a bit harshly down on the coffee table.

Stiles scoffed. "I had a plan that you didn't follow and that got you downed. I was going to get downed whether I came to get you or not!"

Scott stood up abruptly and moved his hands around angrily. "Dude yo—"

They both stopped as there was a sudden knock at the door. 

Stiles sighed, "I'll get it."

He set his own controller down and walked over to the door. He peeked through the peephole and noticed a familiar dirty blond. Then, he opened the door. 

The blue eyed male peered down at Stiles before grinning. "Hey, Stiles."

Scott came from behind Stiles after hearing his voice. They both look at each other and back at their friend. They didn't know if he was ever going to come back but it looks like he did.

"Isaac?"

~•~

Derek was adjusting the spot of the new leather couch he got for his loft when he heard his phone start ringing. He set the end he was holding up down and picked his phone up from the nearby table. The caller ID read Scott.

He hit the green button. "Hello?" 

"Derek! There's someone back in town I think you should know about," Scott said through the phone.

Derek's grip grew tighter around his phone. "Who?"

Scott didn't answer and instead a new voice came through. "Derek?"

"Isaac? Since when are you back from France?" He asked, crossing one arm over his chest. 

"I got back a couple of days ago. I heard about everything with Monroe and such," Isaac told him. From his side of the phone, Scott sat back to listen to their conversation as Stiles leaned in close. "I didn't know where to find you guys, though. I ended up running into Peter and he told me where you guys were."

"Oh, did he now?" Derek rolled his eyes at the mention of his uncle.

"No one really likes him, Derek. But I needed to find you guys. What's going on is crazy and I want to help," Isaac said.

"It's gotten worse within the last two years," Derek informed him. He scratched the back of his neck and sighed. "However, Scott and I have been finding others and sheltering them from Monroe and her followers."

"I assume you guys have been training them?"

Derek nodded even though Isaac couldn't see him. "With the help of Chris and, unfortunately, Peter."

He could hear Isaac and even Scott laugh. Very faintly he could hear Stiles in the background asking, 'What?? What did he say? What's so funny!?' He held back a chuckle. He didn't need anyone to know his soft spots. 

Scott's voice came back through the speaker. "Isaac said he's willing to help us train them. Should we call a pack meeting now that he's back?"

"Yeah. I'm sure he'd like to meet Liam and Alec."

"Okay, I'll tell everyone to meet us at...?"

"The loft."

"Oh, you're back at the loft already?"

Derek glanced around the place. "Of course, it's my home."

~•~

Scott and Stiles contacted the rest of the pack before getting ready themselves. Isaac just waited in the living room, playing a few solo games of Warzone in Modern Warfare. When the two finally came out of their rooms, they saw Isaac shutting everything down.

They weren't awkward around each other, even if Isaac was gone for about three years. It was like it was before he left. All three of them were still friends. 

Scott had to admit that it felt a bit different with him, though. He didn't know why. There was just something different between him and Isaac. Isaac took notice to it as well, but Stiles was completely oblivious for the time being.

The three of them left the apartment and got to the parking garage. They piled into Stiles' blue jeep with Scott in the passenger seat and Isaac in the back. From there on, they drove in a comfortable silence all the way to Derek's loft.

Once there, they immediately saw Derek's black camaro parked outside as well as Lydia's car. Stiles felt something bubble in his stomach seeing the familiar black car but he pushed it aside when they entered the elevator. 

They reached the main floor and stepped out. Scattered across the main living space were Derek himself, Lydia, Malia, Liam, Alec, and...Mason.

"Mason?" Scott breathed out before looking at Liam who was sitting on the couch. "I trust Mason but he's not officially apart of the pack yet, Liam."

Liam sighed but before he could say anything Malia stepped into the conversation.

"Lydia and I were driving together and offered Liam a ride. Mason saw and insisted he come with," she explained, giving Mason a soft glare. "Do you know just how insistent he is?"

"It doesn't matter, he's already here," Stiles interjected, putting his hands up in the air to further his point.

Derek turned away from his conversation with Lydia when he heard Stiles' voice. He hadn't seen him since they found Alec, which was understandable considering both of them were busy. Derek was helping Scott with training the betas and other supernatural creatures. And then Stiles was slammed with his FBI work. They gave each other mutual nods before Derek began. 

"As you guys can tell, Isaac is back," Derek stated, getting everyone's attention as he moved toward the center of the circle they had going.

"How was France?" Malia asked. She had been wanting to go but never got to because of previous issues regarding people trying to hunt her down.

"Very nice, really. I don't really know what I want to do with my life just yet but being there made me find more things I'm passionate about," Isaac told her.

Lydia raised her eyebrows. "Such as?"

Isaac smiled. "Photography."

"This little 'let's catch up' thing is nice but we have some more serious matters to worry about," Derek interrupted. "But, we'd like to introduce you to a couple of people."

Scott nodded his head as he motioned toward Liam. "That's Liam...he's my beta."

Isaac opened his mouth to say something but then closed it. A moment later he said, "I wasn't expecting that, to be honest with you."

Scott chuckled, crossing his arms. "I wasn't either."

Liam have Isaac an awkward wave before nodding at his best friend. "As you heard earlier, this is Mason. He's my best friend and actually helps out a lot with his knowledge." He pointed the last few words toward Scott who rolled his eyes in return.

Isaac gave him a nod before Scott began talking once more.

"That," Scott stopped to glance at their newfound pack member, "is Alec."

Both Isaac and Alec exchanged greetings. Isaac seemed surprised by everything that he missed within the last few years but it didn't take long for him to warm up to the three of them. Derek internally smiled at that.

He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention again before continuing. "Now, how about we break everything to do with Monroe down for Isaac here?"


	3. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deciding to show the trio his evolved form, Derek brings Isaac, Stiles, and Scott out to the woods where he transforms into a sleek black wolf.

After explaining everything to Isaac, they decided to stay low until it was time to take action. However, Scott told them to get any information they can about Monroe but to be quiet and nonchalant about it. Derek agreed with him, leaving them to go their separate ways.

Isaac, Scott, and Stiles decided to stick around for a bit longer to catch up on things. The three of them plopped onto the couch and gave each other quick glances. Derek, who was by the entrance because Alec had asked him a question before he left, walked over to them with an eyebrow raised.

"Isaac was gone for so long and we haven't talked in a while," Scott said immediately. "We thought we'd catch up with you guys."

Stiles nodded in agreement, his brown eyes finding their way to Derek's. The older's green ones narrowed just for a second before he let out a breath through his nose. He had always been so damn stubborn.

"Fine," Derek said as he crossed his arms, waiting for them to speak.

"So I hear you're evolved now, Derek...," Isaac murmured cautiously. Sometimes he didn't know where to start when talking to him.

"You've heard correctly."

Isaac pursed his lips. "Can I see...?"

"Why does everyone want to see it?" Derek rolled his eyes, letting his arms fall to his sides dramatically.

"Because it's interesting, Derek," Stiles said, an amused grin on his face . "And plus, we don't want to be surprised when we need you to shift."

"Yeah!" Scott encouraged while he stood up from his seat. "We can go to the woods...if you want?"

There was a moment of silence. Then, Derek bit his lip and nodded hesitantly. "Okay, but only this once."

Surprised at his answer, the three of them scrambled to the elevator. Derek shook his head but joined them anyway. Since Derek's loft was in an abandoned industrial building that was a little far from the main town, it was easy for them to walk to their destination.

It took them about half an hour to find a spot that they felt nobody would be at. There were no traces of any human scents, or really any scents that let to a person—supernatural or not. Right then and there, Derek began stripping his clothes.

"Woah, what're you doing?" Scott asked, getting reedy to turn away if needed.

"I'm not going to tear my clothes if I don't have to," Derek merely stated, pulling his t-shirt over his head. "But I'll keep my underwear on because I wouldn't appreciate you guys seeing me."

Stiles couldn't help but stare at his muscular torso and the all too familiar triskelion tattoo in this middle of his back. He hated to admit it but seeing Derek after so long did something to him. Derek could sense his gaze and glanced over at him. 

But before he could see Stiles' lingering eyes, he was looking away in the distance like he was waiting for anyone to come out at any moment. He just sighed, unbuckling his belt to take his jeans off.

Isaac smelt the chemical emotions coming off of Stiles and nudged him with his elbow when he inhaled his nervousness. "Are you okay?"

Stiles gave him a weak smile and nodded, picking up the clothes Derek left on the ground. "I'm fine."

Standing in his boxers, Derek looked back at the three of them. "You better watch closely because I'm not doing this again."

All of them nodded so he focused his energy and ran forward. As he ran a few feet, his body began to change into one of a wolf. The other three watched in fascination at the sudden shift. Once in his full form, Derek turned and walked back towards them.

Stiles crouched down in front of him to feel his black fur. Even in Derek's wolf form, Stiles could still see the glare on his features as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. His eyes were a bright, potent blue, signifying he had killed an innocent sometime in his life. 

They knew the story of Paige, Derek's first love, being bitten by an alpha trying to create a pack. Instead of turning her, the bite was killing her. She asked Derek to take her out of her misery so he did. And since she wasn't tainted by evil, his eyes turned from gold to blue because he had taken an innocent life.

The only times his eyes weren't blue were when he was an alpha and when he turned back to normal after being stuck as his younger self. He wished he could say he missed being the alpha, but he didn't. He actually much rather preferred being an evolved beta. Somehow it made him feel more like himself.

"That's honestly amazing," Isaac breathed as he took a spot next to Stiles so he could have a closer look. "You never fail to surprise me, Derek."

Scott and Stiles laughed at that before hearing a grunt come from the wolf. They took that as their cue to step back and moved away from him. Derek's wolf began to slowly form into two legs and then a person. It took a moment for it to dawn on them that he was naked so they all looked away, except for Stiles...mostly.

Stiles was the one who handed him his clothes. Derek sent him a tight lipped smile to show his thanks before taking the articles of clothing from his hands and putting them over his naked body. Both Scott and Isaac gave each other a look because they could feel the tension between the two. 

Neither of them knew how they felt toward one another but they knew there was something there. Scott could remember the look of absolute worry on Stiles' face when Derek got hurt when they were fighting Kate and the berserkers. Derek wasn't healing and Stiles was extremely hesitant to leave him. 

He obviously didn't show it too much because at the time Derek and Braeden were a thing. Stiles didn't want to interrupt their relationship with his own feelings because he knew it was finally something going good for Derek. His past relationships were hazardous and the last two ended up being psychotic bitches.

Even though he suppressed them as best as he could, Scott could still tell Stiles felt something towards Derek. He just didn't know what exactly it was. He just hoped they'd talk about it soon, the tension was killing him and it wasn't even his own problem.

The three of them walked back to the loft in an awkward silence that only Isaac and Scott seemed to notice. Stiles made it look like he was in a hurry, but he wasn't. After a bit, Derek engaged in a conversation with Isaac to talk to him about what he had missed while he was in France.

Scott glanced back at the two of them before moving closer to his best friend. Stiles looked over at him, his eyebrows raised like he was waiting for him to say something.

"So...Derek didn't really snap at any of us today," Scott said, shoving his hands into his jean pockets. "He was actually being nice— to you in particular."

Stiles nodded. "I guess so..."

The shorter of the two pursed his lips. How couldn't Stiles see that there was something going on between him and Derek? The four of them have known each other for years. They could tell when something was up between each other but never seemed to see when there was something to do with themselves. They all knew that...

Hearing a ding from his phone, Scott pulled it out of his pocket to see a text from Alec. He gave it a quick read before turning his head to look back at Isaac and Derek.

"Alec wants to train some more today, if that's okay with you guys."

Derek shrugged. He didn't have anything else to do today and Alec was still a new beta. He figured he could help out. "I guess that's fine."

The two of them looked over at Isaac as Stiles walked ahead of them. Isaac thought about his plans, which were really nothing at all, and nodded his head. Stiles heard their conversation but didn't really pay any mind to it. He had some studying to do anyway because of a test two days away. 

Finally back at the loft, the three of them entered to grab some things they left inside. Stiles slung his backpack, that he brought in case they needed any maps he usually kept with him, over his shoulder and waited for Scott so he could say goodbye.

Derek went upstairs to put on a pair of underwear that wasn't torn as Scott and Isaac conversed over small things. Stiles couldn't help but think about the way seeing Derek like that made him feel. And he knew Scott was right earlier—about Derek being nice to him in particular.

Footsteps coming from the bottom of the steps made the three look up at Derek. He didn't take notice to any of their stares as he grabbed the keys to his camaro from the coffee table. The moment the keys were in his hand he glanced over at the younger ones.

They all took that as their cue to leave the loft. Silence filled the space in the elevator while it took them down to the bottom floor. Exiting, they all made their separate ways as they sent Stiles off.

Stiles headed to his Jeep and opened the door to throw his backpack into the passenger seat. As he did that, Scott and Isaac piled into Derek's car. Derek was just about to get in himself when he thought about Stiles going home alone.

He started the car and told the two to stay put. He shut the car door and walked across the street to Stiles who was in the middle of starting his own vehicle. He rolled down the window when he saw Derek approaching him.

With a raised brow, he leaned his arm on the window frame. "Did you need something?"

Derek shoved his hands into his pockets and gave a slight smile to Stiles. "Just letting you know to make sure you lock your apartment door."

Stiles's eyebrows shot up higher than he thought they could go. "Um—okay?"

"It's because Monroe is still out there. She hasn't made a move in a while but she's still dangerous," Derek told him with a roll of his eyes. He usually made sure everyone had one person with them. But things happen to where that's not always the case. 

"Yeah, I know," Stiles agreed, hands now on the steering wheel. "We don't know when she'll attack."

Derek nodded but said nothing for a moment. Stiles broke the silence with a sigh.

"Well, I have a big test in a couple of days. I should get going so i can study."

Derek gave his door a small pat as a way of saying goodbye and turned around. Stiles bit his lip and watched him get into his car. Then, he pulled off from the side of the road and began his small drive back home .


	4. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking a peek into Liam’s life at the community college, a previously known “psychotic” chimera makes an appearance. In the meantime, Scott and Derek argue over feelings for a certain person.

Walking through the dorm hallways after a hard lacrosse practice, Liam carried his lacrosse stick on his back. He was sweaty and exhausted, his limbs sore from the exercise. The local college he attended had a big game tomorrow. He was only on his freshman year, so this season was very important to him. 

Many familiar and unfamiliar scents came to him. He was used to it by that point. It had been sixth months of living in a college dorm, his next four years wouldn't make much of a difference. Except that his best friend, Mason, would graduate a year early. He already had most of his credits. Liam knew he was smart, so he wasn't really surprised.

The only difference was that he was now waiting for a new roommate, considering Mason was now technically a year above him—only if they decided to give him one. He doubted it, really. Three-fourths of the school year had already passed. He wasn't expecting anyone to be his roommate anytime soon. 

He tiredly dragged his feet across the carpeted floors until he made it to his room. Something wasn't right, however. There was another scent in his room. It was familiar but he couldn't place it to a face...not yet. Slowly, he took the key each one of them were given and slipped it into the keyhole.

Liam hesitantly turned the key and heard the lock click signaling it was unlocked. Key back in his hand, he pushed the door open and just stood in the doorway, frozen, when he saw the face on the other side.

Blue eyes peered over at him from under somewhat sardonic eyebrows. The male's brown hair was parted through the middle, falling a bit messily across his forehead. Liam knew those features more than he'd like to admit.

The two stood in silence for a good while. Liam's bright blue eyes were staring into the deep blue oceans of the other's. He could hear his own heartbeat pick up just the slightest bit. It had been a long while since he had seen him.

"So are you going to stand there and stare at me or welcome me to your dorm room?"

Liam blinked. He let his lacrosse stick as well as his gym bag fall to the floor while he thought of a good response. The best he could come up with wasn't anything too special.

"I'm just surprised you're here."

"Why?" The male crossed his arms in a dominant manner.

However, Liam furrowed his eyebrows in irritation. "You've been gone for two years, Theo! Two years!"

Theo went silent. He knew the second he left Beacon Hills after the things that had happened between them would end up like this. But there was no way he could stay in Beacon Hills any longer with Monroe running around like a crazed psychotic bitch.

Instead of telling him how he felt, he lied. "There was nothing left for me here, Liam." 

"Don't lie to me," the younger seethed, stepping closer. "You had me."

Theo's heart jumped at had. Although, the two of them knew they were getting somewhere with their feelings, they usually let their fear push it away. Theo truly hated arguing with Liam. He hated the way he was angry with him.

"Look," Theo started. "I'm sorry, okay? What else do you want me to say?"

Again, Liam took another step toward him. They were merely a foot apart at that point. They stared into each other's eyes deeply, wanting to see the emotions conflicting within them. 

"Why'd you leave?" Liam asked, eyes closing for a brief moment before opening to fixate on the floor.

Theo let out a big huff of air. He figured Liam would ask. But he wasn't surprised as to why. Honestly, he wanted him to. "I was scared."

He took his fingers and lifted the other's chin so he would look at him. Lima's blue eyes were filled with worry but most of all hurt. And so Theo continued,

"I was scared of getting too attached to you only for one of us to get hurt because of Monroe. I was scared of losing you after finally being able to have you. I was scared of giving you the hope of a future just for me to get taken away from you."

"That's not just for you to decide, Theo!" Liam argued. "As dangerous as it was for us, you still should've included me in that decision."

Theo sighed once more. The other continued to ramble on about how Theo should've allowed him to make part of the decision and so on. He rolled his eyes and then looked back at Liam. His eyes focused on the movement of Liam's mouth and before he could stop himself, he connected their lips in a gentle kiss.

Liam stopped all movement to process what was happening, his arms freezing in midair. Slowly, he began to move his lips in sync with Theo's. However, the kiss was cut short when Theo pulled away. He breathed heavily as he rested his forehead against Liam's.

"Liam, for the millionth time, I'm sorry." He reached to pull Liam closer, arms encircling his waist. "Please, just let me make it up to you."

Liam allowed his fingers to comb through the brown hair at the back of Theo's neck. "I...don't think I'm ready to forgive you that quickly, Theo."

When Theo left, Liam was left alone to his own thoughts. He began to tell himself he just wasn't good enough and that's why Theo left. Luckily, with the help of the pack, he was able to rid himself of those thoughts. But after that, he constantly overthought about everything he and Theo had together.

Feeling Theo tense, Liam gave one quick brush of his lips against the corner of his mouth. He took a step back and scratched the back of his neck. He could see how terrified Theo was of losing him. His heart clenched seeing him in such a vulnerable state.

"But," he started, looking him right in the eyes, "I'm willing to try. But I want to take it slow."

There was a moment of dead silence before Theo nodded. He understood. He was also grateful for Liam giving him a second chance. "Okay."

Glancing at the side of the room opposite of where they were standing, Liam saw a bag on the empty bed where Mason used to sleep. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"You're my new roommate?"

Theo looked back at the bag himself and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. I didn't know who my roommate was until I walked into this room. Your scent kind of punched me in the face..."

Liam said nothing, turning around. Theo watched as he stalked into the bathroom and shut the door. From there, he heard the shower turn on. He let a frown mold his lips as the sound of running water filled his ears. He knew it was going to be a long four months.

~•~

"What?" 

Derek zipped the opening to his bag closed and glanced up at Scott who was talking with Liam on the phone. A sheen layer of sweat coated his skin, soaking into his white tank top. Green eyes focusing on the alpha in front of him, Derek cocked an eyebrow when Scott basically screeched into the phone.

"Liam, I really don't know how to help you with Theo," he said. "I don't know much about the relationship between you guys." 

Scott paused to take in the words Liam was letting out of his mouth. Suddenly, he tilted his head to the side in a confused manner before sighing. "I don't know what to tell you. Just...try your best to figure it out."

Leaning against the table in the abandoned subway station they used for training, Derek watched as Scott abruptly hung up the phone. The younger threw the phone onto the table and leaned against it himself. Derek knew he wanted to say something so he waited patiently for him to begin talking.

"Theo is back in Beacon Hills," Scott said after a while, running his fingers through his dark hair. "Liam is having relationship issues with him, I guess."

Derek nodded slowly, allowing his brain to process this new information. However, he continued to stay silent.

"I want to help him but I don't have any advice to give. I don't know what he needs," Scott mumbled. A thought came to his mind and he momentarily glanced up at the older.

Just by that look, Derek knew what he was thinking. He quickly shook his head, standing upright. "No. Absolutely not."

Scott threw his arms up in the air. "But-"

"No," Derek pushed, giving him a stern look. "I don't like getting involved in everyone's relationship drama. You know that."

"Yes, Derek. I know it makes you uncomfortable, but please," Scott exasperated, leaning closer to look him in his eyes. "Just this once."

"I bet they don't even know how they feel toward each other," Derek laughed as he turned his back to Scott. There was no way he was doing this.

Scott furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms. "They do. Just like how you know what you feel for Stiles is there, right?"

At that, Derek spun around and surged forward. He grabbed the younger by the collar of his shirt and pinned him against the nearest wall. If looks could kill, Scott would've disintegrated with how hard Derek was glaring daggers at him.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Derek growled lowly.

Scott was unfazed. He was used to Derek refusing to show any emotion or talk about his feelings. "I don't?"

Silence. The only thing filling the room was the sound of the taller's heavy breathing as he stared angrily at the other. There was no reason for Derek to be this angry. Yes, he could be irritated because Scott may've seemed a bit nosy.

Derek knew why he was so mad. He was mad at the fact that Scott was right. There was most definitely something there, no one could miss it. He was also mad at the fact that he couldn't talk to Stiles about it. Because he was scared of what he might say...He was scared of bringing danger to him when someone found out about the feelings he had deep inside of him. He was broken out of his thoughts when Scott began talking.

"I'm not blind, Derek. None of us are," He told him, hands reaching up the uncurl the older's fingers. "We can all see the way you look at each other.

"The two of you are so blinded by the thought of the other not feeling the same that you don't see they way you look at each other."

Hearing those words, Derek slowly backed away from him. His green eyes were trained on his shoes as he let the words sink in. He felt this sudden urge to talk to Stiles. But he didn't know if he should do it now or later. Scott seemed to have read his mind.

"Do it now. Knowing you, if you were to push it off, you'd end up never doing it," Scott pointed out, jabbing a finger at his chest in a playful manner. He managed to get a slight chuckle from him.

A warm feeling bloomed in Derek's chest. He was a stubborn and brooding werewolf that never liked talking about his feelings but he knew what a true friend was. He didn't show his affection very often, and today wouldn't be one of those days. However, he sent Scott a friendly nod before picking his bag up and heading outside to find the person he's been wanting to see.

Scott didn't forget to remind him about his earlier request, shouting to his back as he left. "Please try talking to Liam!" He watched as Derek shot a glare over his shoulder and he laughed wholeheartedly.


	5. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally deciding to confess to Stiles about his feelings, Derek makes his way to the younger’s shared apartment to let the words out.

Stiles was laying down on the couch as he watched a random series on Netflix. He wasn't really paying attention because his mind was occupied by the thoughts of a particular green-eyed man. Absentmindedly biting his lip, his eyes went out of focus, the tv screen going blurry in the process. At least up until he heard a knock on the apartment door.

It couldn't have been Scott, he had a key. If he ever forgot it, he'd usually shoot Stiles a text or scream through the door. Slowly, he stood up from his spot on the couch and shuffled over to the door. He leaned closer to look through the peep hole and internally gasped when he saw who was on the other side.

Trying his hardest to prevent his emotions from coming off in chemical form, he pulled the door open. There stood Derek in his famous black leather jacket, a white tank top beneath it. Stiles bit his lip nervously, standing in the presence of the wolf.

"Hi," he murmured quietly, after a moment of silence, while his hand tightened around the door knob. 

Derek gave him a small smile with his hands shoved into his pockets. "Hey."

Stiles, not expecting a smile from the usually stoic-faced Derek, blushed. He wouldn't admit to anyone else, but he loved the dimples in his smile. No one really seemed to notice Derek had any because he rarely ever smiled. When he did, however, he caused butterflies to erupt in Stiles's stomach.

Pushing his shyness aside, the brunette stepped back. Derek took that as an invitation inside and entered the apartment. He hadn't been inside of it yet but he knew what it looked like before. That was only because Scott was very excited when they first bought the place and spammed a bunch of his friends with pictures of it, including Derek.

"I thought you and Scott were training the betas with Isaac," Stiles said as he shut the door behind himself.

Running his fingers across the kitchen counter, Derek shrugged. "We finished a bit ago...let's just say Scott and I had a little argument."

"Over...?" 

"You."

Stiles stood frozen as he heard that single word leave Derek's mouth. Me? Eyebrows furrowing, he wrapped his arms around himself. His mind ran multiple races as he tried to figure out what they possibly could've argued over that included him. When he came up with nothing, he peered over at Derek who was already staring at him with those pretty meadow eyes.

"He just pointed something out to me when it came to you and I," Derek cleared up, shrugging his leather jacket off of his shoulders. He let it hang from a stool that was tucked under the kitchen counter.

Stiles let out an awkward 'oh' to show he understood. Derek watched him as if he was observing him, like he was trying to pinpoint his feelings and reactions to anything he did. This confused Stiles a bit, considering he's never done that before—or at least that he knows of.

It would be safe to say Stiles was completely and utterly obvious to the feelings Derek had for him. Though Derek wasn't one to show much emotion, there was enough there to most definitely tell there was something between them. Whether it be the small but rare smiles, the way he gazed at him, or the way whenever their hands brushed he would blush slightly.

The rest of the pack members could see clearly how they felt towards each other. All of them were antsy at that point, waiting for the two to just get it over with and kiss. Even Liam was tempted to shove their faces together and let them do the rest. Scott had to pull him back, however, because not everything ends well like that.

After a moment of silence, Derek spoke up. "Stiles, I need to talk to you about something important."

"Okay," Stiles murmured and took a seat on the couch when he picked up the serious tone in his words. He glanced over at Derek as he took a spot opposite of him, standing in front of the tv. "What is it?"

Scratching at the stubble on his chin, Derek slowly explained everything. "I've never had any healthy relationships, Stiles. But I know when I feel something for someone." He paused for moment to make sure Sties was listening closely. "I may not show how I feel, but I hope you can see I'm genuine about this."

There it was when Stiles got confused. Did Derek have an interest in someone else? Yeah, Stiles was hesitant to admit to the fact that he did indeed have a thing for the stubborn werewolf, but he wasn't sure he was ready to be rejected already. Suddenly, his heart fell dull, like his happiness just up and left. 

He couldn't help the frown that took over his features or the slight burning of tears in the back of his eyes. But, he kept silent until Derek finished what he has to say. What he didn't know was that Derek noticed the sullen look on his face. He knew what he needed to say as that he needed to say it fast or stiles would break right then and there.

"This person has these big yet beautiful doe-eyes, a button nose that flares when they're angry, and a mouth that's fluent in nothing but sarcasm," Derek told him. By then, he had already moved closer to the younger. 

Now, he was standing directly in front of Stiles who was looking up at him with those doe-eyes he had just mentioned. Derek could see the gears turning in his head from merely staring into his eyes. He saw the initial confusion and then the shocking realization dawn on him. 

Stiles let out a breath he had been holding in for quite a bit. "Oh."

Derek stifled a smile. "Yeah, 'oh' is right." He sat down next to Stiles as they turned to face each other.

"I wondered why," Stiles started, "you weren't as hard on me as you were on the others."

Derek shrugged as if he was just brushing it off, but a small smile began to tug at the corners of his mouth. He could hear Stiles's heart beat pick up as they made eye contact so he intentionally leaned closer. He wanted to kiss him. He wanted to feel his lips on his own—he really did. But he knew he shouldn't do it...not yet. He didn't want to rush into things or force Stiles into doing anything he didn't want to do.

So instead, he gently brushed his lips against his cheek. Stiles's eyes fluttered for a moment before he really focused on Derek's face. They sat there, studying each other's features thoroughly. Entranced with Derek's eyes, Stiles stared deeply into the green pools. There were hazel rings around his pupils and brown specks spread around. They were absolutely beautiful.

Derek did the same, too, because he had the chance to be this close. He tried remembering all of the moles and permanent marks on his face. Then, his eyes traced along the long lashes sheltering Stiles's eyes, and then the plump lips under his button nose. 

"Derek?"

"Stiles?"

Not being able to help himself, Stiles brought a hand up to settle on Derek's stubbled cheek. The older allowed him, taking the hand in his own after a second. Stiles had to admit he liked the feel of his beard burning against his skin. 

"What does this mean for us, Derek," he asked, looking down at his lap.

He wasn't able to for long because Derek already had a finger under his chin lifting it up. "Well, I want to try this out."

Stiles looked into his eyes once more, a blush rushing to his cheeks. "You do?"

Derek nodded. "I've never felt this strongly about someone, Stiles." He slipped his hands over the other's and brushed his thumb over his knuckles. "So, if you want to, I'll be waiting."

Wow. Stiles was honestly surprised. A bit happy and just a little nervous, but he was surprised. He's never truly seen this side of Derek but he was here for it. Most times he was always being stubborn and serious, or in Stiles's words—a sourwolf.

It was rare to see Derek laugh or even give the slightest bit of a smile. And if it was a smile, it was fake or intended to be sarcastic. Stiles knew that Derek hated showing affection. Derek thought it made him look vulnerable to the other pack members.

He always tried his best to hide his emotions only because he needed them to know he was strong. When he was the alpha, he was used to doing that constantly. But now that he's merely a beta and Scott's the alpha, he knows he doesn't have to do it as much. He does anyway, however, considering Scott still looks to him for advice. Derek was an alpha before, so he could easily give Scott the help he needed.

With the seemed hesitance of his answer, Derek stood up slowly. If Stiles needed some time to tell him what he wanted, he would wait patiently. Derek began to walk toward the door, but an unexpected grip found its way around his hand.

He glanced over his shoulder at Stiles who had a determined yet sincere look on his face. Their fingers were now intertwined as the older took a step backward. 

"I'd actually like that, Der," Stiles said softly. "I'd like that a lot."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m letting you know that feedback is greatly appreciated (especially constructive criticism)!


	6. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott comforts Isaac with something he experiences himself while Lydia drags Stiles of their shared apartment bright and early.

Scott awoke to the sound of whimpers coming from the living room at about two in the morning. He assumed it was Isaac since they had offered him a place to stay but the couch was the only option until they cleared out the guest room. It was filled with boxes of their older stuff from high school, mostly—but they were things they didn't want to get rid of.

Another loud cry and Scott was out of his bed to go see if he was okay. His feet padded against the cold wood flooring as he exited his room and walked down the hallway. There Isaac was on the couch, his head moving side to side with tear stained cheeks. More whimpers fell from his lips and Scott's heart couldn't help but clench at the sounds.

He had a feeling he knew what Isaac was having a nightmare about. He slowly inched over to the blond and shook him awake. Isaac's blue eyes shot open and he backed away in fear until he realized it was just Scott. Calming down, he noticed the sweat and the tears.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked him, moving Isaac's legs and sitting down on the couch next to him.

Isaac took a deep breath before answering. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that I've been having these nightmares since it happened, you know?"

"Allison was important to both of us, Isaac," Scott said to him. "I still have nightmares about her too."

Allison was Scott's first love and most likely Isaac's too. When she died, it tore both of them up. It's the mere reason Isaac went to France with Allison's father. Even if Scott had Kira and then Malia after that, she was the first person he truly loved. Neither of them would ever completely get over the loss of her.

"Really?"

Scott nodded, his eyes sincere. "Yeah, it's been three years but I'll never get over it and neither will you. We just have to find a way to cope with it." Isaac stayed quiet as he listened to his words. Scott continued, "When it gets really bad, Stiles ends up in my bed. I've found it easier for me when I have someone there with me as a sense of security."

Isaac smiled at that, his ocean eyes making their way to Scott's brown ones. "I can see Stiles doing that."

It seemed as if Isaac was hesitating with what he wanted to say. His mouth opened as if he was going to say something but he quickly closed it and looked back down at his lap. He wasn't one to want to leave his problems to others but he was having difficulties with this one. Scott took notice to this, of course, and made sure to point it out.

"We all need help sometimes, Isaac," he said as he made eye contact with the other once more. "If you want to try that out to see if it'll work for you, I'm more than willing to do it."

Neither of them said anything for a moment. Isaac took it into consideration, really thinking about it. He did want to try it. He was desperate to be able to get a good night's sleep for once within the last three years. He would've said no, though, because he didn't want to be a bother. But by the look on Scott's face, no won't be taken as an answer.

"Okay," he said slowly as he nodded his head.

"Okay," Scott repeated and stood up. Isaac looked up at him confused so he smiled. "I think it'll be more comfortable if we lay in a bed and not on a cramped couch."

Isaac's mouth dropped open in understanding before he muttered, "That'd make more sense."

They both went to Scott's room, making sure to be quiet when passing Stiles's room. Scott closed the door after Isaac and then proceeded to pull his covers back. Isaac stood there a bit awkwardly when he realized they were both shirtless and only wearing pairs of shorts.

Scott didn't see the blush creeping down his neck and therefore didn't notice the slight tension in the room. When he looked up at Isaac, he sent a welcoming smile his way. Then did Isaac move over to the opposite side of the bed to get in.

After they both got comfortable, they both seemed to have an easier time falling asleep. They lied down with their backs facing each other, but they were close enough to feel the body heat radiating off of the other. With a content sigh, Isaac allowed sleep to take over.

~•~

In the morning, Stiles was the first one up. When he walked out into the main living space and didn't see Isaac on the couch, he frowned. The blankets and pillow were still there, messily laying on the cushions. Just out of curiosity, he walked over and felt the spot where Isaac would have been laying.

It was cold like he hadn't been there for a while. Now, Stiles was just confused. It was odd for Isaac to abruptly leave without warning so he knew the werewolf had to be somewhere in the apartment. Stiles casually walked back down the hallway and knocked on Scott's door.

Not hearing a response but instead soft snores, he pushed the door open and peeked his head in. A bit surprised to see his best friend cuddling with a familiar curly haired blond, a soft 'oh' left his lips. He figured Scott must've had one of his nightmares again—or maybe even Isaac had one. Stiles knew about the relationship each of them had with Allison, it wasn't a surprise to see both of them still hurting.

Stiles lost his mom many years ago and it still hurt. It didn't hurt no where near as much as it did years ago, but it was there. There wasn't a day that went by where he wasn't thinking about his mom at least once or twice. There were small things that reminded him of his mom or certain situations where he'd know his mom would know an answer to it.

Giving his friends one last glance, Stiles stepped back and pulled the door closed. He retrieved his phone from his room on his way to the kitchen and opened the cabinets to get a glass. He was pretty thirsty because his nose was stuffed while he slept last night. It could've been due to the cold room or maybe he was getting sick. He sure hoped it was the first option because he couldn't really risk missing too much work.

Sometimes he seemed to have plenty of time on his hands for being a federal agent, but he was still counted as a rookie. Therefore, he was mostly kept to the smaller things with the other rookies until they got more experienced. Though he had more free time than the higher ups, he still found himself slammed with work.

Being broken out of his thoughts by a quiet knock at the door, he set his now filled glass of water down onto he counter and made his way to the door. He moved his eye over the peephole and saw his strawberry blonde headed friend. He opened the door and rubbed his tired eyes.

"Lydia?"

The mentioned girl gave him an apologetic smile as he glanced at the time on his phone.

"What are you doing here at 7:29 on a Sunday morning?" Stiles asked, slipping his phone back into his sweatpants pocket.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to bother you this early in the morning but I need your help," she told him, her arms crossed across her chest.

Their eyes met for a moment and Stiles knew what she needed. "Alright, give me a few to get cleaned up."

Lydia nodded quickly, stepping inside and closing the door as the brunette left to get changed. She let her shaky fingers trail across the furniture within the apartment as she waited. Her heart was beating a bit faster than normal because she was nervous, a bit scared to say the least.

When Stiles reappeared, he was wearing his usual plaid button up with a white shirt underneath and jeans. He yawned before scratching the back of his neck.

"Where are we headed?" He asked, moving over to grab his keys.

Lydia licked her lips. "The cemetery."


End file.
